Russia

School Library Journal

Gr 7-12-Beginning with a description of Yaroslavna, the heroine of a 12th-century poem, this book then turns to Russian women's achievements, focusing on education, status, and social conditions, providing an easy-to-understand overview of this country's history. While wars are included, the emphasis is on the lives of the people and on the evolution of women's rights. Specific figures are featured, with accompanying full-color and black-and-white photographs and reproductions adding visual impact. Regional and ethnic differences are briefly addressed. The text is readable, but the style is rather stilted. Kotlyarskaya obviously has a personal interest in the problems she describes, especially current economic and political instability. This involvement creates a bond between readers and author, bringing immediacy to what might otherwise be just another reference book. A useful title for providing comparative information for reports, but one that is also fascinating in its own right.-Carrol McCarthy, Tower Hill School, Wilmington, DE